Wednesday, October 20, 2004

Who counts, in America?

I started my last post with a quote from Daniel Webster. It is fitting that I start this with another short but informative quote from a well known twentieth century political figure:

"Those who cast the votes decide nothing. Those who count the votes, decide everything".
Joseph Stalin

This pragmatic bit of political reality was very evident in the United States a mere four years ago and should have taught us a badly needed lesson regarding American elections.
The lessons were not learned by anyone except, it would seem, the Republican party.

The Republicans certainly learned that they don't need to win elections to maintain power in America. The more extreme factions of the Republican party demonstrate nothing but contempt for democracy and the American people. Witness the unending attempts by our All American Republicans, to cripple the government, throughout the Clinton presidency. No matter the cost to Americans.

The worst Republicans are patriotic Americans only when they are in office. The rest of the time, they are too special to be constrained by democratic norms. After all, they are the real Americans and the rest of us are unwanted passengers on 'their' boat.

The widespread voting irregularities that threw the election in Florida last time out, have not been fixed. There was four years to do it in but it was not done and no one can make the Presidents brother or his Republican elections supervisor do something that might hurt the presidents chances. Something like fair unrestricted access to polls, even for blacks and possible Democrats.

Republican strategists have openly talked about suppressing the vote in Democratic strongholds, such as Detroit.

A so called 'private Voter Registration company' has systematically destroyed voters registrations from thousands of Democrats in three states. Those voters will show up to the polls only to find their right to vote has been stolen. Not by government incompetence but by thieves, working, it would appear, on behalf of the Republican election effort.

Electronic voting is only as secure and honest as the companies that will do the counting, on behalf of election officials. There is no paper trail for your vote. You can only have 'faith' that your vote will be counted, given that the Justice Department has recently admitted that it is not nearly ready for the expected flood of election fraud cases this election will generate. Who owns and controls the data collection companies hired to oversee a major part of the most important election in recent American history?

In that atmosphere, after the crippling of the electoral process in the last presidential race, I for one, do not trust electronic voting, as it is about to be used.

Everyone knows the president is a religious guy. Most politicians are but George admits to and has a well grounded reputation for bringing his religion into politics and government policy, in a big way.

Only recently are questions arising about the nature of the beliefs our President holds. Beliefs which, according to him, guide his policies, especially in regards to the Middle East.
The nature and specifics of those beliefs need to be understood by Americans.

George Bush is an adherent of a contemporary Christian cult that has recently superseded mainstream Christianity, in the United States. A cult that has reshaped God and Jesus into political icons. The Book of Revelations has become a foreign policy manual in the hands of cultists in important and powerfull government positions.

There are no non members of this cult represented in the Presidents inner circle of advisor's. Even Republicans who voice objective reality or mere questions are kept away from the President and the inner circle of decision making.

This president, who believes he was appointed to the Presidency by God himself, believes himself to have a role to play, in bringing about the Second Coming of Christ.

It is about time people began asking about exactly what this religious President believes and what role he has cast for himself in this dangerous role playing game that occupies the President and his inner circle.

One terrible question comes to mind: Does a man who believes he is on a mission for God, believe it is the will of his reshaped God, to disenfranchise and defraud non-believing voters?

This Presidents' intentions and motivations have never been completely on the table. The answers to some of the questions regarding the Presidents' religious beliefs, may explain why his intentions and motivations are never completely on view for all to see.

Well, that may be true but I'm not sure how much we should focus on his religious beliefs. We know they exist and should have no place on the political platform. I'd be willing to bet he knows as little about religion as he does politics. Nevertheless,world wide, religion is often used to cover up agendas where substance is lacking. The Bush dynasty (Papa, daddy and George) is one of very dirty money and it is the politics of greed that fuels their cause. Right now religion is is the suit, but a business man will play whatever role provides the means.

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About Me

Raised from age three in small town and semi rural areas of Alabama, I am something of a converted redneck. A 'leftneck' as a Virginia friend calls himself. Being a product of one of the lowest appendages of American culture and sink holes of the economy, I represented class A cannon fodder during the Vietnam war.
I ended my Air Force enlistment, without permission, in 1969. I have lived in Canada since 1970.
The horrible din made by the destruction of American democracy, inspires and prods me to write about what I see from my expatriate view of America.